Ettinger’s scenes are incredibly crucial in the overall progression of the show.Īnother thing that is discussed in the behind-the-scenes featurettes is how Mark Ruffalo lost 20 pounds to play Dominick. Ettinger is excellent in the role, and it is his scenes that really give context for Dominick and Thomas’ connection, as well as their relationship with their stepfather. With this series, however, Timmermann didn’t just need to find someone who looked like Ruffalo she needed to find someone who could also play the dual roles. He looks so much like Ruffalo that, when he appeared on screen, my first thought was that they must have used CGI to de-age Ruffalo. The lengths he goes to in order to capture the nuances of human beings only elevates his work.Įveryone should give the series’ casting director Bonnie Timmermann a massive round of applause because I don’t think you could have picked a better actor to play a younger Mark Ruffalo than Philip Ettinger. I really appreciate this approach Cianfrance takes. It’s the mundane pauses, the interruptions in speech - the imperfections - that give us the glimpses of genuineness. If an actor forgets a line, they don’t stop filming they improvise and keep the scene going. When filming scenes between characters, Cianfrance encourages them to dive deep into the moment. His films tell the stories of people, and with that comes a desire to retain as much realism as possible. He is ultimately trying to capture the authenticity of the moment between characters.

A couple of these focus on Cianfrance’s approach to directing, which I found to be utterly fascinating. Luckily, I was invested in it from episode one.Īccompanying each episode on HBO are some brief behind-the-scenes featurettes that delve into different aspects of the making of the series. So I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this series. I was not a fan of The Light Between Oceans(2016), which I found to have an uninteresting story with lackluster performances. I love The Place Beyond the Pines (2012), which I think has a beautifully told story with phenomenal performances. I have limited exposure to Cianfrance’s work, as I have only seen two of his movies. That kind of approach doesn’t work for everything, but with I Know This Much Is True, I think it works excellently.ĭerek Cianfrance directs all six episodes of this miniseries. It feels as if we are living with these characters for a period of time rather than watching a story unfold. There is a very loose narrative connecting all the episodes rather, it focuses more on following Dominick and getting inside his head. The series takes the approach of studying its characters more than telling a story.

Author of i know this much is true